Toe weight



Jan. 12 1926.

C. FREUND TOE WEI-GHT Filed June 1922 k n/avid); Ca/rr'wd Eel/1rd Patented Jan. 12, 1926.

oonnAn rnnnnn, or'sr. PAUL,,1VIIN V1\VTES0TA.-

TE Pram r o TOE WEIGHT.

' Application filed June 24, 1922. Serial No. 570,573;

i assisting. in increasing the speed of the horse.

- The weight may be attached to the horses hoof, either at the toe or the side, and is constructed with a novel means for holding the weight in place on the attaching. plate.

It is a feature to provide a holding means 20 which preventsthelweight from vibrating and workingloose'while in use, so that it is practicallyimpossible' to lose the Weight, withouttearing the whole plate completely The invention iurther provides an attach- 'in'g plate with ho1ding :means adapted to receivedifierent size we 1ghts,-'as is customary in toe weights for horses, sothat 1,2, 3

siredp. V It is of primary importance in racinga horse, to provide a toe weight, if one is used. which will not become loose or be lost in a race, for should the horse needsuch means to balance his gait, the. horse can not be depended on if the weight is' lost on one foot andremains on the. other. A further object of the invention is in a rigid shoulder at the top and bottomof the weight, onthe attaching plate; which firmly holds the 'weight'in place and'takes the strainott or the spring catch which holds the weight to the plate; w I

In the drawings forming part of this specification: Figurelis a front'view of the toe weight, as it appears on the attaching plate;

Fig. 2 is a crosssection on the line 2-2 and 4 ounce weights may be used if de- Fig. 3 illustrates the front/view of thejat -v taching plate;

- Fig. lisa si cured thereto F 5 is a back viewof the wei g- 6 IS a front view of an alternative form of the lnvention; and

Fig. 7 is a central cross-section on the line 7-7 of Fig, 6.

The toe weight A a-horses hoof, so that the weight is eld rigidly in place, while the horse is in action.

Naturally when a horse is inaction, a good deal of strain is brought to bear on the hold: mg: plate and the means of securing; the weight thereto, so that it is highly essential de view of the toe' weight and plate, illustrating a larger size weight se t is adaptedto be held: t the. attaching plate B firmly and securel to to provide avsuitable weight holding means for locking the weight to the plate. It -is just a's'essential that the weights be interchangeable on the same holding plate-,so that a larger or smaller weight can be used, as desired, without removing the holding plate from the hoof.

.V'arious toe welghts" have been designed and many required the changing of the hold:

ing plate when the'weightwas changed and not hold or provide suiliicient holding means 0 pfrevent the weight from comingofi o f'the 'o'o.

The attaching plate B is formed with a broad, thinyflat base portion 10, which is curved slightly to fit the hoof and'has screw holes 11, which are countersunk into the surf'aceto' receive the headsof the screws, so

this has been found to be detrimental, as the 'hoof'becomes worn from changingland will that it canihe firmly attached to the horses hoot, directly above-the 'shoe or at the edge of the hooffwhere the wall ofthe-"same is thick enough to receive the attaching screws. The plate B extends upward and isformed with a narrow tongue 12," having an opening 13 extending through-the same, which is adapted to receive a wire loop of ordinary well-known construction, through which the holding strap of the quarter boot is passed. The wire loop which is used and secured to is attached to the:

the plate B through the opening 13, holds the strap of the quarter boot in place on the hoof and also performs the function of providing a holding means for the upper end of the plate B, to assist in firmly holding the same to the horses hoof when in action.

The attaching plate B is formed with a projecting boss 14 which is formed with a recess 15, in which the spring catch 16 is positioned. The stem 17 of the catch extends through the recess 15, projecting above the boss 14, and a suitable pin 18 is passed through the stem and extends on either side of the same, to form engaging loops 19. The pin 18 forms a stopwhichengages in the recesses 26 in the side of the boss, and

.limits the downward movement of the spring catch 16. A coil spring 20, within the: recess 15, holds the tongue 21 of the catch. normally in. downward or engaging position.

The attaching? plate B is-formed with an opening 22 which is adapted to receive-the tongue 23 formed on each of the weights A, while the. upper portion of the weight is engaged by the tongue 21 of the catch 16, which penetrates the recess 24: formed in the weight. When the-weight A isattached to the plate B, the catch 16 engages inthe re cess 24 under the tension of the" coil spring 20, soasto firmly and rigidly attach the weight to. the plate. In this position, the weight approximately covers the heads of the screws in'the. openings 11 when the plate attached,- so that they cannoteasily be come disengaged from the hoof.

The pin -l8 holds-the spring catch 16 from rotation, by engaging in the notches 26 on eith r side ofi theboss 14 to hold the beveled side ofthei tongue 21 in outward position as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.- TherweightA plate: by inserting; the tongue 231 into. theopening 22, and the uppcr edge of the weight pressed against the beveled" surface of: the tongue 21, forcing the same upward in the recess 15, and allbwing the weight A to move into place. ,When the weightflA is in place the catch 16 automatically snaps into the recess 24 and bears with spring tension against the same, firmly and-securely holding the weight A in position; on the plate. l

VVhenit is'desired to remove the weight A, the. loops 19 can be readily engaged and the catch 16 raised sufficiently to release the tongue from the recess 24. The weights A are formed with a notch 25, adjacent the recess-2 4,-'w;hich engages on either side ofthe lower'end of theiboss 14. The notch 25 and the tongue 23 eliminate any strain or side play from the catch 16, so that itis only necessary for the catch to hold the weight from forward or disengaging movement. This construction eliminates any unnecessary strain on the catch 16. The various size weights are all made to readily fit the same holding plate B, making the weights interchangeable, which is more easily accomplished by means of the spring catch 16. Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate an alternative means for holding the weight Ato the plate B. In this construction, in place of the spring catch 16, a setescrew 27 is threaded in and extends through theboss 14 inamannor to engage in the recess 24 of the weight A, so that the inner end28 of the set-screw engages firmly in the recess 24, to rigidly attach the weight to the holding plate.

In this construction, the weights A are exactly the same. as used in Figs. 1 and 2 and can readily be interchanged by unscrewing the set-screw 27, tar enough todis engage the end 28 from the recess 24:

Hcretofore toe weights have been heldto attaching plates bysliding the weightsona' beveled tongue and pounding them into tight frictional engagement with the tongue, so as to hold them in place; or a set-screw has been used to hold the- Weight. When held in this manner, they easilyworlr loose and come off or are lost, especially if the horse fi should strike a small rock. This invention has been designed to overcomerthislobjec tion and to insure firm attachment of the weight while in action, or to allow the weight to be easily removed. Tliebosss'l l In accordance withthe'patent statute'stl have described the principles of my invem tion and the drawings show a form of, the same, but I desire to have it understood: that this is only illustrative. and that the invention can be carried out and applied to uses other than those setrforthwithin the scope ofithc following claims. i 1

I claim:

hoot, including a hoof-engaging plate, a spring catch carried by said plate, and. a weightada-pted to beremovably held. by said catch to said plate.

. 1. A toe weight for balancing a horses' 2. A toe weight comprisinga plate adaptzed tobe secured to a hoof, having an opening therein at one end thereof, a boss formed on s'aidxplate at the other end, a weight having a hook adapted to engage. within said open.-

ing and being formed with a notch adapted it to straddlesaid boss, and means secured to said boss for latching said weight in place upon said plate. 7 l

3. A toe weight for balancing a horses foot, comprising a plate adapted to be rigidly attached to. the hoof, an opening formed in said plate, a spring catch carried by said plate, an interchangeable weight, an

attaching tongue projecting from said weight adapted to engage in said opening in said plate, and a recess in said weight adapted to be engaged by said spring catch, to secure said weight to said plate, against disengagement therefrom.

L. A toe weight including a plate adapted to be secured to a hoof, a spring catch carried by said plate, a recess formed in said plate, an interchangeable weight, a tongue formed on said weight, and a recess opposite said tongue, whereby when said tongue engages said recess, said spring catch is adapted to engage in the recess in said weight, to attach the same against free disengagement therefrom.

CONRAD FREUND. j 

